Death's a Joke.

Ace found herself fleeting through an alleyway when a strange cry pierced through her ears. At once Ace stopped but kept pushing her weight onto her heels as if in a hovering motion similar to a hummingbird. The garbage can on the other side of the street let out another strangled cry. Ace began to use her animal instincts once near the bin as she seemed to crouch before ripping the lid off and jumping back.

A mangled cat let out a whined meow as it escaped from the place were it had been imprisoned. Instead of escaping into the night the stray licked its left paw slightly before turning to Ace with a loud meowing cry. The cat’s black fur stuck out at several different angles while bald patches adorned a few areas. It had a single yellow eye which focused on Ace’s face.

Ace stepped forward with precaution to see if the animal moved, when it hadn’t she crept up to the creature before kneeling, allowing it to place its paws on her knees and brush its wiry whiskers against her cheekbone. A slender hand of hers reached out to stroke behind its chewed ears as it licked her arm playfully.

“I would shoo you away, but I don’t think you’d listen anyway would you? I guess you can stay the night, I guess us strays gotta stick together,” Mumbled Ace into the purring cat’s fur.

Ace curled up as the cat followed her actions, resting on her thighs. Ace kept the animal close, in an almost motherly way before drifting off to sleep in the alleyway as the night closed in.

The Joker kicked the pine door open, grabbing the attention of the men inside. He entered the room as placed himself in a worn leather chair so that he could see every member of the mafia gang.

“Good evening…gentlemen…now I’d like to talk about capturing the Batboy who seems pretty content with finding you lot. Hence why you’ve had to meet in a different location every night,” Began the Joker, pulling his trench coat a little tighter as if straightening it.

“We’re not interested in finding him. We’re after that goddamn Ace of diamonds,” Roared a man whose upper lip was covered by a drooping moustache, spit beads clinging to it as the Joker looked confused.

“Stupid bitch keeps killing our men and destroying half the places we known! She’s gonna put us in the red at this rate. Plus with her around everyone is on guard so everyone will rat us out at the first chance. What’s the point going after Batman when she causes us more trouble?” Hissed a young boy with deep sunken eyes and pale lips were chapped.

The Joker cracked in knuckles before pushing himself up. His tongue ran across his parted lips as his darkly covered eyes scanned each face.

“Why oh why…why so serious?” The Joker cackled, disappearing out the door with a single joker card left where he once stood.